We went to see Amal and the Night Visitors last night. It's a 'local' company - out of Rochester - who came to our church to present their play for their final appearance. It was all right - made me cry - but they were not outstanding. They didn't get a standing ovation, which our church has a tendency to do even when it isn't warranted, but it was fun. Raederle had never seen it, so didn't know how it was going to turn out.

We are going to the midnight, candle light Christmas service tonight instead of being at church now. I frankly can't afford to do both. I'm feeling peaceful right now, but I'll be frazzled by evening.

Nothing is wrapped. The trays I've worked so hard on aren't done. There are three sets of three small serving trays, each set stacking inside each other; one set each for Mary, my Sister and her Daughter. Sister's and Niece's are in the same basic, shades-of-blue colors to go with their kitchen, Niece's has ladybugs added, since that is a long-time nickname of hers. All of the designs I made in PhotoPaint. For Mary's, I stole her paint right out of her kitchen cupboard, one to match her kitchen cupboards, the other her living room walls. Since I made hers last, they have come out quite well, but I did my learning on Sister's, and they really aren't great. Nor done. I have decided to stop working on them, take all the paints I have mixed for them with me, and let them finish them by themselves.

Samples:

So I have those sitting on the racks in my open oven (set as low as it will go) hoping they will dry enough that when I put them together to wrap (at about midnight), they won't stick together.

At 5:00 am, we will get up, get dressed, finish getting things together, and be on the road by 6:00. We'll get to Sister's about 8:00, eat breakfast at 9:00, then do stockings, then put the dinner in, then tree presents. It's the best, happiest, most cultured, most ... I can't think of any appropiate word ... of the year.

Then we have to rush off by 4:00 to have Raederle back by 6:00 to show up for her volunteer work with Brother for the karate tournament.